Farmers' Almanac winter weather forecast for 2026–2027 points to a season of sharp regional contrasts, with wetter-than-normal conditions across much of the southern United States. Caleb Weatherbee prepared the outlook using the Farmers' Almanac formula, and the release gives readers an early look at where storms, mixed precipitation, and snow are most likely to line up.
The forecast says El Niño should remain an important influence through the heart of the season. That setup, Weatherbee said, favors an active southern storm track and a second path along the Eastern Seaboard, leaving individual storms to sort out whether places see rain, sleet, freezing rain, or accumulating snow.
Caleb Weatherbee and the 1818 formula
Weatherbee built the 2026–2027 outlook with the same core, proprietary weather formula the Farmers' Almanac has relied on since 1818. The method was first developed by founding editor David Young and now combines recurring natural cycles, solar activity, lunar influences, and historical weather patterns with satellite observations, computer modeling, current meteorological data, historical analogs, and analysis of large-scale ocean and atmospheric patterns.
That mix gives the forecast its broad regional shape rather than a storm-by-storm timetable. It is aimed at showing where the winter is more likely to tilt wet, wintry, or briefly mild, not at pinning down the exact day a given storm will arrive.
Southern storm track
The strongest signal in the outlook runs from Southern California and the Desert Southwest through Texas, the Gulf Coast, and the Southeast. Farmers' Almanac says those areas should watch for frequent storm systems, muddy fields, and occasional surges of cold air, with heavier-than-normal precipitation extending from California and the Southwest eastward through Texas, the Gulf Coast, and the Southeast.
When colder air meets abundant moisture, Weatherbee’s outlook says some storms could produce sleet, freezing rain, or heavy, wet snow. The southern Rockies may fare especially well for mountain snowfall, while the Northeast faces a second storm path that could bring more rain, wintry mixes, and snow from the mid-Atlantic into New England.
West, Plains, and Northeast
Temperatures in the West, northern Plains, Upper Midwest, and Great Lakes should average near normal overall, but the same regions may still face clippers, sudden cold snaps, brief snowy periods, and bursts of bitter cold. The middle of the country may also see frequent swings between thawing and freezing, which can leave road and field conditions changing quickly.
The Pacific Northwest may have a more changeable and less dependable snow season. The northern Plains and Upper Midwest could turn drier at times, yet brief but intense periods of cold, wind, and snow remain possible. In the Northeast, coastal communities may get more rain or mixed precipitation, while inland areas could see several rounds of heavy, wet snow during January and February.
For readers, the practical takeaway is to follow local forecasts closely as storms approach, because small shifts in storm track and temperature will decide whether a storm brings rain, sleet, freezing rain, or accumulating snow. The seasonal outlook sets the pattern, but the day-by-day impact will hinge on how each system lines up with cold air already in place.
